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Thursday, February 19, 2015

Lucky Fuzhou Noodle Soup with Endive, Leek and Mushrooms

Fusion Lucky Noodles!

Chinese Fuzhou noodles are also called lucky noodles. Lye is used in the process of making Fuzhou noodles and the noodles have an interesting hint of lye flavor. Fuzhou noodles are very thin fragile noodles when dry, but they become elastic after cooking. Fuzhou noodles can be found in most Asian food markets.
The light vegetable broth is flavored with leeks and portobello field mushrooms. Leeks are commonly used in Asian recipes, but Asian Leeks are a type of garlic chive bulb. European Leeks have a well known mellow savory flavor. Portobello mushrooms add a nice rich flavor to the broth.
Endive is a lettuce that is in the cabbage family of plants. Endive is usually served in a salad, but it can also be cooked like kale or cabbage. Endive has a bitter flavor that tastes nice in a soup.
Today's noodle house recipe is a nice light and healthy vegetarian fusion pho style soup that is perfect for summer!

Lucky Fuzhou Noodle Soup with Endive, Leek and Mushrooms:This recipe yields 1 large serving of soup! Fuzhou Noodles can be shocked in ice water to create a chewy texture. This step is optional, but it is well worthwhile. Asian broth soups are usually made to order, so the ingredients are al dente and full of bright fresh flavor. Today's recipe moves along at a fast pace.Step 1: Keep a pot of water boiling on a back burner, so the Fuzhou noodles can be cooked later in the recipe.Step 2: Heat a sauce pot over medium high heat.
Add 3 cups of light vegetable broth.
Add 1 minced garlic clove.
Add 1 teaspoon of minced ginger.
Bring the broth to a boil. Step 3: Add 1/2 tablespoon of thin soy sauce.
Add sea salt.
Add 1 pinch of turmeric.
Add 1 pinch of coriander.
Add 1 pinch of ground Szechuan Pepper.
Add 1 cup of small portabella mushrooms that are cut in half.
Add 1/3 cup of thin sliced European Leek.
Boil the soup, till the mushrooms start to become tender. Step 4: Add 1 1/2 cups of endive leaves that are cut into large bite size pieces.
Boil the soup till the endive starts to become tender.Step 5: Place a portion of Fuzhou noodles into the pot of boiling water.
Cook the noodles till they are tender. (Fuzhou noodles take less than a minuted to cook!)
Drain the water off of the Fuzhou noodles with a fine mesh strainer.
Shock the Fuzhou noodles in ice water.
Swirl the noodles in the ice water till they gain a chewy firm texture.
Drain the water off of the noodles.
Set the noodles aside.Step 6: Add 1 teaspoon of lime juice to the soup.
Take the soup off of the heat.

Presentation:
Pour the soup into a large soup bowl.
Dunk the Fuzhou noodles in the center of the hot soup, to reheat the noodles.
Use chopsticks or tongs to twist the Fuzhou noodles so they gather as a neat mound shape in the center of the soup bowl.
Place about 10 to 15 cilantro leaves on the surface of the soup.
Lean a large Thai Basil sprig in the soup against the rim of the soup bowl.
Float 2 thin lime slices on the surface of the soup.